Vans

01.08.2012

Originally going by the pretty clunky name of the Van Doren Rubber Company, Vans have been making shoes since way back in ’66 when the starry eyed Van Doren brothers set up shop selling made-to-order deck-shoes. Now known as Authentics, these shoes were lapped up by everyone from Cali cheerleaders (this isn’t an Oi Polloi lie, Vans were popular on the cheerleading circuit as the wide range of colours meant they could coordinate them with their uniform) to sidewalk surfers who rated Vans thanks to their tough nature and grippy sole.

In a bit of parallel history, Skateboarder magazine has been, in a fair few different guises, documenting skate-action since 1964, so one would think a collaboration would make a lot of sense. And they’d be right — these gems look like they’ve been wrestled straight off of Tony Alva’s feet circa ’75, and will add a bit of Cali-flair to any cold-weather car park session.